Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Aisha- Camille Malcom Camille Malcom February 24, 2023 Volume 3 Issue 3

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Ranking Holiday Desserts By Unknown Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Unknown In celebration of the holiday season, it’s a perfect time to dwell on some of the classic desserts eaten by those celebrating! Below, I’ve listed a few holiday classics seen at the dining table, and while many of these may not appeal to you, they are some of the favorites I recommend you try if you haven't this holiday season. Linzer Tart Cookies: At the top of my list, I favor Linzer Tart cookies. If you’re unsure what these cookies are, they are jam-filled cookies (usually with raspberry jam) made from almond flour, which sets them apart from other cookies. The almond flour gives the cookie a softer bite than others, yet it also gives it a hint of almond flavor which meshes excellently with the taste of raspberry or any jam equivalents. These are my favorite cookies to make and eat, so for this holiday season, if you’ve never had the chance to try these, I definitely recommend them! Tres Leches: My second favorite holiday dessert has to be Tres Leches, and if you’ve never tried or heard of this one, it’s a classic Spanish dessert. For Christmas, my family and I always share a tres leches cake every year. It’s a sponge-type cake soaked in three different types of milk: regular milk, sweetened, condensed, and evaporated milk. So, if you’re a fan of cake and milky-like desserts, this one is one you should try! The milk seeps into the cake, making it soft-textured and causing it to melt in your mouth. Blueberry Pie: My third favorite dessert is blueberry pie, as it has a rich, sweet flavor that’ll only boost the good feelings you’ll have this holiday season or cater to any sorrow or sadness you may feel. Between the crust, filling, and lattice on top, what is there not to love about blueberry pie? Its flavor is unmatched during the holiday season and melts in your mouth, so if you want something sweet yet crunchy this holiday season, try blueberry pie! Gingerbread Cookies: Fourth, I love gingerbread cookies. They’re one of my favorite types of cookies, as the ginger flavor and snap of the cookie sets it apart from others. While it may not rank over some of the other desserts I listed, it still holds strong in this spot. The fun of decorating gingerbread cookies and houses with royal icing is unmatched, and the rich flavor from the ginger that seeps through these cookies is incredible. If you’ve never baked or tried gingerbread cookies, this is a holiday classic you can’t miss! Sugar Cookies: Last but certainly not least, sugar cookies are the holiday classic on this list. Whether from the supermarket or your grandma’s kitchen, these cookies are a holiday classic that almost everyone has tried and are tried and true. Sugar cookies are delicious, sweet, and simple in the best way, while they may be a hassle to bake and decorate, they’re worth the effort. The sweet but crispy bite of a sugar cookie is an unmatched classic holiday feeling, and the buttery nature of the cookie is incredible. While one of the more simple holiday desserts, sugar cookies are classic for a reason. So, if you’ve never baked them or would like to serve them and share them with your family and friends this year, I’d recommend this holiday classic. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Ask Ala: Other Questions By Ala Paruch Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Getty Images Q. Dear Ala, I feel like I have issues with writer's block, and sometimes do not know what to write in my story. Sometimes when I am writing a story, it takes me a half an hour to find a topic sentence. Furthermore, I get bored when I have to write something really long and time consuming. Finally, I have to read through my writing to make sure I did not make any spelling mistakes or grammar errors. What makes looking for errors in your writing hard is when you don’t know whether to put a comma or period after a word. Conclusion writing, I find, can be very hard and confusing for me. If you have any advice for me to help me be more efficient with my writing, then it would be much appreciated! Thanks! Sincerely, Writer’s Block A. Hello and thank you for the relatable question! Writer’s block is such a relatable issue for a lot of people, so I’m glad I get to answer your question. Inspiration is hard to find, so for the instances when you can’t find the topic sentence, I would just focus on the rest of the text or write something just to be there, knowing it is not going to be perfect. You can always come back to it and see what fits or edit it, so it works with the rest of your writing. To conquer long parts of the text planning everything out and dividing it into chunks could help. Let’s say the longer paragraph has 4 main points. Just do one at a time and take small breaks to refresh your mind a little bit. Proof-reading your own work can get pretty boring sometimes; I absolutely agree. To make the process more bearable, listen to some music. Be sure to listen to something that you enjoy, but doesn’t take up all your attention, so you can still focus on editing your paper. Looking for errors such as commas is quite tricky. You will learn more about them in English as you go along, though right now using a program such as Grammarly.com can help. Microsoft Word also has Grammar Check settings. I hope this helps and enjoy writing! Q. Dear Ala, Why do coronavirus cases get bigger in the cold weather? My mom told me it goes down in the summer because the heat kills the virus, but she also said it goes up in the cold weather, how does this work? -RonaQuestion A. Hello and thank you for the interesting question! Everything depends on the type of pathogen you are dealing with. Seasonality’s causes are something the science community is still not entirely sure about. So far, studies show that it is not so much that cases go down in the summer, but with coronavirus specifically, cases increased for the winter since people started gathering indoors where the virus spreads much more easily. Additionally, people are more likely to get sick during the winter as well, because your immune system is not as effective in the wintertime. Coronavirus does not seem to be affected by heat or cold, it’s more about what people are doing and where they do it. I hope this answers your question! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Ms. Byrne and Importance By Jeselys Vazquez Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Original photography by Eva Grace Martinez Hello, loyal readers of North Star! For Women's History Month, we usually discuss women who've impacted history and changed women's lives for the better with the power of their voices and bravery. I want to share with you all the passion and impact Ms. Byrne has on her students and the people around her. If you do not know her yet, she is the lovely and kind lady in 113 on the first floor near the computer lab or dean's office. Ms. Byrne has been my Resource Room teacher since September, and she has impacted and pushed me forward to reaching my goals and dreams, even though she has been through a lot this year. Yet, she still is there for us in even the good and bad times. She has kept her students up to date, keeping them on top of upcoming test/quizzes/exam/projects dates to make sure they get what they need to get done with enough time. Also, she informs her students about activities and clubs outside of school they can participate in, enjoy, and make friends as time goes on. I always wanted to join a club and do something to help and have fun, but I had never been on top of it as much until Ms. Byrne suggested it to try it. If it wasn't for her, I would not be where I am right now. Now, I am a writer for North Star Magazine and a member of the Ecology Club. I enjoy participating and have fun helping our environment. That's only a little piece of her magic of what she has done for only one student; imagine what she has done for the rest. I've never met someone so caring, genuine, and strong as she is. I am so grateful to Ms. Byrne for what she has done and what she has to offer for both the rest of her students and me. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Benefits of Running Manal Layachi Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Mother of Manal Layachi I have been on North’s Cross Country and Track and Field team since seventh grade and enjoy running every day. Whenever I feel stressed or just need to clear my mind, I go for a run, and I feel amazing and energetic like I just drank forty cups of coffee. Running not only improves your mental and physical health, but it provides individuals with important life lessons. I have learned over the years that it is important to be on time, persevere when facing obstacles, remain “hungry” for opportunities in which I can reach full potential, have a winner’s mindset, build self-confidence, and most importantly have fun. Firstly, running improves an individual’s physical and mental health. For example, running improves cardio health and lowers the risk of having cardiovascular diseases. Even if it is for just fifteen minutes a day, a little can go a long way. It also lowers an individual’s resting heart rate, thus leading to them having a more efficient heartbeat. Furthermore, running can improve sleep, knee health and back health. Running helps lower stress and clears the mind, which leads to better sleep and relaxation. It can even lead to a lower arthritis rate and improved back health as runners must have good running form, which includes keeping your back straight and relaxed. Lastly, running can help lower the odds of someone obtaining upper tract respiratory infections and leads to a better mood and energy. After every run, I always feel like a new person and become excited for the day. I also feel more productive when completing homework and am in a better mood. Additionally, running also improves academic performance and learning ability. In other words, exercise increases circulation throughout the body and enhances brain function, thus leading to academic achievement. For example, students that perform aerobic exercises daily may have higher test scores than those who do not exercise. I have seen this in my life as well because as a junior in high school and take multiple AP classes. Running after school helps me deal with stress and the workload of junior year. Coming home from school without running does not help me complete my homework, as I feel unmotivated and my brain overflows with thoughts from the school day. On the other hand, running after school helps me clear my mind, have fun, and prepares me for the schoolwork ahead. The next day, I ace my exams and get the grades that I want. In essence, running is a lifelong sport. Whether you are 13 or 45, running is for everyone. All you have to do is put on your shoes and start running. It is not a sport that requires a lot of equipment. If you decide to start running, start off easy, be sure to hydrate (Trader Joe’s Alkaline water is my favorite), eat foods heavy in protein and fruits and vegetables, and most importantly have fun and run with close friends or relatives. All in all, being on the team has brought me closer to the North community and I have made many friends that I would not have made had I not joined cross country and track. I would like to thank my brother and my coaches for motivating me to join Cross Country and Track and fight through the pain of running. I will miss running for North when I graduate; however, I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish in the 2024-2025 season. References: How Does Running Improve Your Health? ( webmd.com ) The Correlation Between Running And The Classroom ( coachweber.org ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Party School | Jon Hart Jasmine Roberts Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Max Ching The line, “TTK is short for the Taliban King. He has an insane story. His parents had been in the Taliban, and he’s an orphan,’’ on page two of Party School was one of the first sentences I have ever read that made me take a step back from the page and do a double take. Though this was not how the novel first introduced itself, it is certainly a memorable line which could be critiqued for its nonchalant reference to a piece of history that traumatized many and has solidified itself as a harrowing, controversial part of American history. The line nonetheless lays the focal ground for the tone, ideas, and humor of what was to come. In a more subjective way, the tone of the book felt similar to that of what I would find in an 80’s coming-of-age movie, such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off , The Breakfast Club , or Heathers : raw, unadulterated, and relatable. Coming into this novel, I felt a breath of fresh air when I didn’t feel patronized by this idea of teenagers having a pure, innocent, prudent perspective of the world, ignorant of all its faults. The author did not hold pre-conceived notions of a young adult's ability to rationalize adult themes. With the growing influence of technology and social media, it would be a shame to see a novel for young adults try to filter out any of the reality of the hardships that come with growing up and discovering the core of adulthood, especially in more privileged stations. Thankfully, Party School does the exact opposite of my concerns, and I find myself connecting heavily to that feeling of drifting on a raft, where the tides seem to rise and set around you, channeling wherever they desire. Yet, you are stuck on those planks of bamboo, going whenever the wind feels like stirring, with little autonomy of your own. Trapped, some might say, by expectations, friends, romances, and society as a whole. The main character of Jon Hart’s novel, Dylan Millis, is your average, less than average, all-American boy, who finds himself in a place which goes against what is expected for a boy in his environment: a party school, or a college known for students being for attentive to parties than academics. The foundation of this storyline is overdone to the extent that a museum could be erected just for boys of this persuasion in literature. Though, it can still be entertaining when done right, that could explain why the trope is so popular. Dylan isn’t a perfect protagonist; he gets into more than enough instances of conflict, that are down-to-earth enough to be understandable yet done in a way that keeps the reader wanting more. For instance, Dylan’s internal struggle with his maturity and existence, and his external struggle in maintaining a relationship with his high school sweetheart, Rosemary, who encourages they experiment with dating. A high school relationship is starkly different from a relationship with two adults, who can drink, pay taxes, stay up as long as they want, have their hormones steady and frontal lobes better developed. This turmoil between internal and external conflict, between a more subconscious deep-seated problem versus a more, to be honest, issue that only two eighteen-year-olds would have, adds a layer of complexity to Dylan’s situation. It serves as a good example of when seemingly trivial conflict fosters deep character development. As we see within Dylan, once he slowly matures, gets his driver’s license, and finally rationalizes who he is. One of the rare things which all humans desire, is to understand. There’s a desire to understand yourself, the fears, the hopes, the pain, and the joy. Learning these things, as Party School shows, comes from experience, in ways that are unconventional, yet stick. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. It's pleasant enough for a quick read, as you drink tea and watch time buzz around you. It's sweet, funny, down-to-earth, and honest. It is definitely, a true American novel, with all the type beats that one would expect in an American, coming-of-age piece: sports, humility, romance, humor, and a bit of underdog charm. As this is Jon Hart’s first novel, I would say it is a strong first start, and I desire to see where he brings himself in the future, growing and evolving as an author. The publisher The Sager Group, sells itself as a multimedia content brand, for the artist and their free will. Though I have been skeptical of such things in the past, it is nonetheless nice to support the arts directly. So, I shall end this article the exact same way the novel ended itself. “Well then, I’m in,’’ (page 212). BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Shop: A Pop Opera By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Jack Stauber Whether you are his biggest fan or have never heard of his name in your life, you have probably heard some of Jack Stauber’s music somewhere. His song “Oh Klahoma” was used in over 500k videos on TikTok during a recent Halloween trend. Another one of his songs, “Buttercup,” was used in 1.4 million TikTok videos to convey various trends. Jack Stauber has also over 100 songs and multiple albums and shorts with deeper meaning. A prime example of one of these albums is “Shop: A Pop Opera.” Shop: A Pop Opera was a mini-series that was aired on Adult Swim at midnight from March 4th-9th in 2019. The seven-video series follows a man trying to complete his shopping list, but as he continues down his list, he meets a few peculiar people who have issues relating in some way to the item he is trying to buy. It starts off with the man trying to choose between two yogurt samples. He decides to start looking for the items on his shopping list. The first item on the list is milk. While trying to find milk, he encounters an old lady who cannot reach pecan nuts and thus asks him for help. When he retrieves the pecan nuts for her, the lady claims he did not grab the pecan, while he was certain it was. Before he can pick the lady’s desired item, she disappears without a trace. As soon as she leaves, he finds the milk, but realizes it has expired. He begins to wonder what kind of milk it was. Wondering whether it had a family, if it dripped with calcium, or if it had goals and dreams. He then picks up a carton of unexpired milk and pursues the next item. He heads into the next aisle to find his next item, bread. He finds artisanal multi-grain 12 nut vitamin bread, to be exact. While wondering whether to buy the bread or not, he meets a snobby man who desires the same bread. When our main character asks whether the bread was of decent quality, the snobby man laughs and replies that it was for his dog as it was not edible enough for him. After telling our main character that he must go to a walnut auction, the snobby man leaves, and our shopper is left alone to examen the bread. He wonders if he lets his belongings define him and practically questions his sanity. He finds a normal batch of bread and looks for paper towels next. When he enters the next aisle, the man witnesses the shattering of a glass bottle by another customer. An employee comes up and asks whether he broke it, to which he says no. The employee starts to clean the mess but is cut by some of the glass. The man worries for the employee but asks where the paper towels are located but was promptly interrupted by the employee monologuing about how entities can be easily broken but may take much longer to fix. The employee then tells him the towels reside in the next aisle. The employees’ monologue sparks curiosity within the man. He starts thinking to a universal level, noticing that nothing is reversible. Therefore, it is not worth trying to solve the issue or problem. These quirky interactions continue throughout the shorts. For instance, one finds the relationship between coffee and necessity, while another binds cheese and the concept of acceptance together. The underlying themes are up for interpretation, as they are not set in stone. If you look in the comment section of the video, there are various theories which explain the meaning of this series. If interested, I would totally check it out. The next time you head to the supermarket, look at your shopping list at an introspective level. You may produce something to change the world, develop an artistic outlook, or create a better understanding of life. In contrast, you may just figure out what flavor of yogurt you desire. It really depends on the person. Shop: A Pop Opera Link- SHOP: A Pop Opera | adult swim smalls - YouTube BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Gas Prices Continue to Increase By Raj Singh Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by USA Today I’m sure that if you have been watching the news, listening to your parents, or paying for gas itself, you know how expensive gas is. As of April 7th, in Nassau County, New York, gas prices per gallon were $4.268, which is a lot compared to last year’s average of $2.901. You might wonder, “Why is gas so expensive?” It’s a lot more complicated than you think, with a multitude of reasons. Firstly, COVID-19 has caused plenty of damage to the world economy, and one of the reasons is inflation. Let’s say in 2019, 5 barrels of oil cost $15 (this is a hypothetical); with shipping slowing during Covid has the number of barrels decreased, which wouldn’t be so bad as the barrels would be worth $6, right? Nope, inflation has caused the price of the, let’s say, only 2 barrels to go to $20, inflation has caused prices to rise at the same time stock of oil has decreased, causing the price of oil per gallon to rise a couple of dollars. (A link below will show the actual prices of barrels of oil.) Covid restrictions have become increasingly damaging as workers aren’t allowed to work, and production decreases are stopped entirely. In China, they have a “Zero Covid Policy,” which shuts down entire cities and areas in order to keep Covid cases at 0; this has caused lots of cities to be shut down and also oil refineries, which of course, ramps up the price of oil to nations that import Chinese oil like Australia, and even though here in the US we don’t use Chinese oil that high price impacts here too since the global economy is connected increasing our prices more. Now for the biggest and most prominent cause for the increase in price, the War in Ukraine. Foreign companies and investors have been running out of the country; they have left Russia due to its “Humanitarian Violations.” It is because they felt that other companies and investments would leave Russia, so they did it themselves, causing a chain reaction. Anyways, this lack of investment and foreign companies has caused the Russian economy to shrink and start collapsing. In turn, this has caused Russian oil and gas to collapse too, causing prices in Europe to rise and, in turn, the rest of the world. This is the leading cause of the current spike in price. Here is a reason that only has a mild effect currently and has a more significant impact in the future, America, and Canada have been producing more oil than ever before; in fact, in America, imports from the Middle East have been declining, and what oil we still import mostly comes from Canada, oil produced here has to come from shale and sand adding an extra process. At the same time, in the Middle East, they take it straight out of the ground, refine and sell it. This has caused North American oil to be a bit more expensive, the effect is small, and it’s an overall positive since soon America will be an overall oil exporter rather than an importer, and we probably won’t join any more wars in the Middle East since they don’t hold our oil interests anymore. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Without Her Face 2 By Nora Chery Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by National Park Service (Note from the author: If you want to read the previous chapter, click here: https://www.vsnorthstar.com/articles/without-her-face ) Chapter Two: Secretly, beneath his easygoing nature and simple philosophies, he pat himself on the back. He prided himself on being the only kid his age with any common sense. Most teenagers in Snow Valley Square were below him. He thought of himself as a god. However, his dose of reality soon hit him like a bullet piercing between the eye and brain. Who would have thought that leaning, applying your 130-pound weight on a rotten, weak part of a wooden fence, would cause it to snap? Sending you, headfirst, down the tip of a hill. Barreling you towards a dark sea of trees, in the middle of the night. In the town of Snow Valley Square, in the forest below the hills, resided our false god. He was flat on his back, lying on damp, dark green leaves, and the murky shores of a muddy pond. His right leg was snapped and twisted like a twirled mop. With rose leaves as stickers on his face, and grass as hairpins, he bawled for help up the hill, hoping someone could hear him. No one did. Up there, the residents were religious. They had to sleep early, as they had church tomorrow. The boy mewled. His broken leg gave waves of pain, warning him not to move or else. Like a needle to an open wound, sobbed the boy from inside. The wave of nausea wasn’t a pleasant gift either. Oak and spruce trees were the only living things around to hear his shallow breathing. His tears joined the pond under him. He called out once more; the houses above responded by looming before him like a dead streetlamp a someone forgot to light. But just then, a hem of a cheap lemon-colored summer dress approached him from his right, followed by a pair of rawboned legs. When the boy looked up, he felt his eyes burn, swearing they’d cry out blood, as he saw the face of the hideous, gaunt creature. He could’ve sworn he saw his short life flash before him as the humanoid demon reached down towards him. Its pale, spindly fingers extended, and the claws came closer and... --- Two fingers, a pointer and thumb, adorned with blue polish, came down to pinch at Mr. Blue’s right cheek. The sudden action made him gurgle on his spit, but his eyes remained shut. Drool peeked out of the left corner of his mouth. The fingers, still clasping on, gave a couple good yanks on the skin. It was strong enough to trigger his eyes to snap open. His sleepy body bobbed alive; he inhaled as he straightened up on his seat. He drifted his eyes to the fingers, then up at Mrs. Blue, whom they belong to. They were the only ones on the bus. The other couple was still distracted with each other and missed the bus when the married pair had boarded. Mr. and Mrs. Blue sat on their green seats as the white lights shined. The sleeve of Mrs. Blue’s frock intertwined with Mr. Blue’s parka. She leaned on his shoulder, peering up at him, “Our stop is next. I would’ve used a much gentler approach to wake you—If you weren’t such a deep sleeper,” Mrs. Blue said. Mr. Blue hummed in response; his drowsy eyes stared at his right leg contained within his yellow cargo pants, solid and healthy. “Thanks,” he mumbled, smiling softly, still looking at his leg. “You had another dream, Mike?” asked Mrs. Blue. “Yeah, about a monster this time. It was gaunt and ugly,” jested Mr. Blue. “Again!? I’d protect you from those if I could.” “Thanks, Sophia. You’re a sweetheart when you don’t have venom.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Video Games and Quarantine By Augustine Magapan Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by the Washington Post Hello, and welcome back to another game review! First, we talked about the virtual headset, the Oculus Quest 2 , and the difference between that and the first Oculus Quest . In this issue, we are going to discuss video games I have played during quarantine, and those others have played as well. Video games served as a way to cope with boredom while being stuck at home. There will be no ranking system, but rather an analysis of the game and discussion about why people played it and how it became so popular. The first game I would like to discuss is Animal Crossing New Horizons . The trailer was released in June 2019 and no one was expecting this, but people hoped for Animal Crossing to come out for the Nintendo Switch. Animal Crossing involves you having an island or area of some sort and control what happens. You can plant trees, go fishing, catch bugs, spend time with friends, and talk to villagers. No, they aren’t the villagers like Minecraft ; instead, they are animals. You are the only human in the game. In addition, you can expand your property and do your best to make sure your island has the best rating. This game came out in March 2020 when quarantine quickly become more serious. Another thing is that there is this tanuki named Tom Nook, where he advises you and recommends actions you should take. However, when you do whatever he tells you to, you’ll be in his debt. It is a trend for the past games Nintendo has made, no matter where you go, you’ll always be in the debt of Tom Nook. To get out of debt, you’ll have to sell items and make profit off of them which can be done by selling bugs and fish, fossils, and many other things that can be valuable to his little companions, Timmy and Tommy. They run a shop where you can buy furniture and sell items to them. Going back to Animal Crossing New Horizons , people hoped there would be new creatures, fruits, more inventory space, and many more in-game functions. Once this game came out, millions of people started playing it as time progressed through quarantine. There is no competition between other people, and you’re able to be at peace when you play it. It’s a very simple game to play, and I enjoy playing it myself since you can get creative and enjoy all it has to offer. Another game that became popular during quarantine was Among Us . Yes, the game where you accuse people for being ‘sus’ or suspect for the things they do. This game first came out in 2018, but it hadn’t reached popularity until 2020. If you don’t know what this game is already, I advise you to download it on your phone for free and try it out. It is a game containing tiny space people who look adorable? I guess you can say that they look adorable for the fact they have floating hands that aren’t connected to any part of their bodies, as well as having cute legs. These brightly-colored space people must complete tasks to save their spaceship and win. Here’s the twist though: one, two, or three “imposters”. This means three players who aren’t space people. Rather, they are murderous characters who sabotage others and ultimately win by killing each space person who isn’t an imposter. If you are an imposter rather than a crewmate, knowing you need to kill every other player and making sure they don’t complete their tasks, you can also accuse them when it comes to a meeting. We will get to that later, but once all crewmates are eliminated, you win! Crewmates are the opposite of imposters; they are the ones who fulfill tasks and work together to make sure all the tasks are complete so you can win. When you see a dead body on the floor, you can report it so you can start a meeting. Meetings are when it starts to get serious because it’s like a court room. You must state your alibi and make sure you aren’t found guilty. Whether you are a crewmate or imposter, you should always try to prove yourself innocent while trying to either accuse other people. Well, that goes for me at least since when I’m in a meeting if I’m an imposter, I’d try to get into people’s heads saying that I’m innocent since I do a specific task or saying other things by the deceptive actions I have taken. Crewmates, on the other hand, should figure out who the imposter is but can be deceived by one another. It’s hilarious during some games, and other games you are dead silent and serious. Youtubers make it look fun and it’s also fun when you play with friends. Pewdiepie, Disguised Toast, KSI, and many more youtubers make it seem like the game is fun when you start getting into it: especially Corpse, a youtuber with an interesting tone of voice. Viewers love him and so do I. You should Among Us a try since it’s still common to see others playing. It’s still pretty popular. Our final game we can discuss for this issue is Minecraft . You heard me well, the blocky Lego-looking... oops! That’s Roblox . I meant to say the blocky cube game where you are in a world of blocks and you yourself are a block. Surely you must have heard the game since it came out almost ten years ago and has been a rollercoaster ride ever since. Some years the game was popular, other years people lost interest. If you still don’t know the blocky game, it started off with a man named Steve. That is the main character of the game followed along with Alex. Of course, you can have your own skins, but it should be noted that Steve and Alex were the first two characters to be in the game. You are also known as the ‘player’. After having your character, you spawn in the world and simply mine, otherwise known as breaking blocks. You break blocks to gather resources and materials and then craft them to make more materials and structures. You continue to repeat this process as if you were in the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods creating stone and iron tools. Sooner or later, you can find DIAMONDS. Diamonds are ores as well, like coal and iron. While adventuring and mining, you are going to encounter mobs like animals, zombies, and creepers. You must butcher the animals to eat so your hunger bar doesn’t go down, and dangerous mobs might kill you. Now that you know the overworld, there was an update that made Minecraft popular again during quarantine. It was the new “nether update” which is a new version of the nether. The nether is the opposite of the overworld; it’s the underworld where zombie pigmen, ghosts, wither skeletons, and other dangerous mobs are your obstacles. You can acquire more material in there as well, and that is only found in the underworld. However, there are new creatures lurking and biomes in the underworld. This contains piglins who will kill you if you don’t wear gold armor and will trade with you. The overall goal of Minecraft is to kill the Ender Dragon and go to the end. But it is not really the end since there will be a new beginning. Other than that, you should have fun and enjoy the game as a whole. You can get creative with what you build, and play with friends. After all, it’s cross-platforming. That concludes all the game review I have for this issue. I enjoyed writing this article and discussing something that I like. If you have any other recommendations on what I should review, please reach out to me, and we can have a fun time writing and reading about it here. I probably will write another article on video games during quarantine. These were only a few, and there are many more to come in the future to discuss. Thank you for reading, and see you guys soon! BACK TO TOP